Understanding the nature of genetic influences and genotype-environment interactions in the development of a visually guided behavioral phenotype, and probing the neurophysiological mechanisms of coding and processing visual information in the vertebrate brain are the long-term objectives of this project. Experimentation concentrates on gene effects and gene-environment interactions in the visual preferences and related behavioral developments of newly hatched and maturing quail chicks (C. coturnix japonica). Short-term goals include (1) studying environmental, developmental, and genetic factors in approach-preferences, (2) completing an experiment on the long-term developmental effects of the genetic manipulation of early preferences, (3) initiating experiments on gene effects in imprinting, and (4) undertaking behavioral, neurochemical, and electrophysiological experimentation of similarities and differences in the mediation of identical approach behaviors (phenocopies) in subjects of different genotypes and developmental histories.